Fluttershy's Dilemma

by Kawaii_Daisy

Rating: everyone
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad, Adventure
Length: 4152

Fluttershy's kindness is what makes her a beloved Pegasus in Ponyville. Her sweet demeanor is praised by all citizens of Ponyville, including her closest friends, but Fluttershy wants to be more than just a kind and sweet Pegasus.

Everypony is preparing an appreciation party for Fluttershy; they all want to show her how much she is loved. But something strange is happening to Fluttershy. She has become rude and cruel, which is obviously outside of her character. Why has she changed? What made her change? And most importantly, who is responsible for it?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-11-03 07:51:39 UTC

What Happened To Fluttershy?

It's a nice, peaceful day in Ponville. Nothing out of the ordinary. Everypony seems to be happy today. Well, it's not like they're never happy; they're just more happy than they could ever be. Why, you ask? Well, it's because Ponyville is going to have a huge celebration party for a very special Pegasus. No, it's not Rainbow Dash, even though she is special for her loyalty and Sonic Rainboom. This Pegasus is special for her kindness and love for animals. You guessed it; it's Fluttershy! Everypony is working really hard to make this party very special, including the Mane 6, but excluding Fluttershy (she doesn't know about it yet).

Pinkie Pie is making a 4-inch vanilla cake with white icing decorated with edible, pink butterflies that match Fluttershy's cutie mark. Rarity is making a beautiful pink dress with yellow flowers and sparkles for Fluttershy to wear at her party. Applejack, with the help of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, is making the Apple Family's famous Apple Cider. Twilight and Rainbow Dash are decorating Ponyville with balloons, streamers, and a banner with Fluttershy's face on it. Spike is writing an invitation for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to come as special guests. Everything in Ponyville is going according to plan, and everypony is excited about this party.

"Good job, everypony!" exclaimed Twilight. "This party is gonna be a blast!"

"Of course it's gonna be a blast! It's a party!" Pinkie Pie jumped up and down with excitement.

"Whoa there, Nelly," said Applejack, putting a hoof on Pinkie's back to calm her down. "It ain't a party without Fluttershy. One of us should go to her cottage and get her."

"Good idea," said Twilight. "I'll go get her." She zoomed off to Fluttershy's cottage.

When she arrived there, she noticed that her door was wide open.

"That's strange," Twilight thought to herself. She peaked her head into the cottage, looking around to find Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy!" Twilight called out her name, but no answer. "Where could she be?" Just as she was about to fly off, Angel Bunny hops towards her, covered with tiny bruises.

"Oh my goodness!" Twilight exclaimed. "Angel, what happened?!"

Angel squeaks while gesturing his arms and ears about his experience.

"Fluttershy's been acting strange lately?" Twilight ponders at the thought of Angel's explanations. "Well, what is she doing that's so strange?"

Again, Angel squeaks, explaining his tiny bruises.

"[Gasp]! She really did that to you?!

Angel nods.

"But... that doesn't sound like Fluttershy at all. She wasn't like that yesterday. As a matter of fact, Fluttershy is never like that." Twilight ponders some more about the situation. "Angel, do you know where she is now?"

Angel points out the door to where the Everfree Forest is located.

"The Everfree Forest? But Fluttershy is always scared of going there. Why would she even go there in the first place?" Twilight became more and more confused every second as she thought about it. "Well, it doesn't matter now; I have to go find her!" And with those words, Twilight zipped out of Fluttershy's home and into the Everfree Forest.

The Search For Fluttershy

On her way into the Everfree Forest, Twilight spots Zecora trotting her way to her.

"Zecora!"

"Twilight, I have news regarding your friend, Fluttershy. She seems to have changed her demeanor, and I do not know why," stated Zecora.

"I know. Her pet rabbit, Angel Bunny, told me about her strange behavior. Do you know anything about this?"

"Yesterday, when Fluttershy came to my home, she asked for some wild berries I could loan. She needed them, but for what reason, I do not know. She seemed to be in a hurry, so I gave them to her so she could go."

"I wonder what she needed those berries for?" Twilight thought. "Well, do you know where she is now?"

"I am sorry; I do not her current location, but if you find her, make sure to keep your hesitation. Her change in personality could be unstable. Heed my words, for this is not a fable."

"Ok. Thanks, Zecora!" Twilight flew off to Ponyville to inform her friends.

***********************************************************************************************************************

Back in Ponyville, Twilight informs her friends and the other ponies about the situation with Fluttershy. Everypony starts to murmur and whisper to each other.

"What?! That doesn't sound like Fluttershy at all!" Rarity gasped.

"Well, there must'a been somethin' that made her upset, causin' herself to do somethin' like that," Applejack suggested.

"What should we do about it? We don't know where she is," said Rainbow Dash.

"There's gotta be a way to find her! There's just gotta!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Pinkie. We'll find her." Twilight gave Pinkie a reassuring pat on the back and a smile.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this search party started!" Rainbow Dash flies off in the sky.

"I think Rainbow Dash is going to search in Cloudsdale," Twilight said. "Ok, AJ and Pinkie, you two search around Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity and I will look around the castle." Twilight turns to the crowd of ponies. "The rest of you ponies search anywhere you're familiar with. It doesn't matter if Fluttershy has never been to a certain location or not, anything is possible. Make sure you all come back to Town Hall if you can't find anymore information about Fluttershy's whereabouts. Alright! Let's go!"

***********************************************************************************************************************

Everypony has worked diligently on their search for Fluttershy. Everypony looked everywhere, all around Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres, Manehattan, Canterlot, the Crystal Empire, and anywhere else you could think of in Equestria. But there was no sign of Fluttershy anywhere. Everypony returned to Town Hall with fear of never seeing Fluttershy again or never knowing what happened to her.

"Aw man! We searched everywhere, but there was no trace of Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash complained. "I'm starting to think that something bad happened to her."

"Keep your chin up, Dash," Applejack said. "We'll find Fluttershy one way or another."

"But we searched everywhere!" Pinkie Pie whined. "She's nowhere to be found!"

"No, Applejack's right," Twilight said. "Maybe there's some hidden area we haven't found yet."

"What do you mean? We all practically know Equestria like the back of our hooves," Rainbow Dash said.

"But don't you guys remember that village we went to last time? We never knew anything about it until the Cutie Map showed us."

"But we don't have Fluttershy to access the map," Rarity said.

"We don't need the map to find her. I've been working on a telepathy spell to connect my mind with Fluttershy's. This way, we'll know where she is and what she's doing."

"That's a swell idea, Twilight!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Yeah, Twilight! Do your thing!" Rainbow Dash said.

The Unknown World

Twilight's horn begins to glow purple, and her eyes glow white as she opens them. Her mind teleports her to a place that looks similar to the Everfree Forest, but it's not. This place looks very dark, and the colors are mixed with dark blue and black like Princess Luna's mane. The area was filled with a dark aura that could have corrupted Twilight's mind, but she was too worried about Fluttershy.

"Wow! What is this place?"Twilight pondered to herself. She starts trotting around looking for Fluttershy. She walks through a thick fog of dark aura making it hard for her to see where she's going. It was hard, but she didn't give up.

What seemed to be half an hour of searching, Twilight sees a tiny yellow dot in the middle of a navy blue pond.

"[Gasp]! Fluttershy!" Twilight rushes to Fluttershy with anticipation, but when she started getting closer and closer to her, something seemed off about her. She didn't seem to notice Twilight, who was running towards her with so much gladness, happy to see her friend again. But Fluttershy was... unresponsive. It didn't matter to Twilight;  she kept running to her. When she reached Fluttershy, she noticed a dark aura surrounding her.

"Fluttershy? Are you okay?" Twilight reached out her hoof to Fluttershy, but when she did, her hoof bumped into a force field. Twilight became perplexed by this. "Why is she surrounded by a force field? And what is she doing here?" Suddenly, a midnight blue colored ectoplasm in the shape of a woman comes in front of Fluttershy. Its eyes glowed a clean, bright white, almost blindingly bright. "What is that?" Twilight was even more confused than before. "I better keep my distance. I don't want Fluttershy to know I'm here." And with that, Twilight trotted about two feet away from her and the ectoplasm, hiding behind what looked like a tree. She hears them talking.

"Hello, my dear Fluttershy," the ectoplasm said with a raspy voice.

"Hello, Sagishi." Fluttershy's voice doesn't sound as sweet and kind as it use to. Her voice sounds more wry and cunning, almost like a totally different pony taking over Fluttershy, but it wasn't.

"What is Fluttershy doing? And how does she know that thing?" Twilight was so confused about the whole thing, her head started spinning. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to say, she didn't know anything. She wanted to know more about this situation so she kept listening to the conversation between Fluttershy and Sagishi.

"So, how does it feel to be a tougher, stronger pony?" Sagishi asked.

"It feels amazing," said Fluttershy. "I've never felt so strong in my life."

"What is she talking about?" Twilight whispered to herself.

"Well, your mission is almost complete," Sagishi told Fluttershy. "The only thing you have to do now is receive the Elements of Harmony, and your transformation will be complete."

"Yes, Sagishi." Fluttershy bows her head to Sagishi and gets transported away along with Twilight.

Twilight gasps for air as she comes back to Ponville. Her friends come to her aid.

"Twilight, are you okay?" "What happened?" What did you see?" Where's Fluttershy?" "Is Fluttershy okay?"

"I'm fine, girls." Twilight reassures her friends with a smile, but quickly turns into a frown.

"I don't like that look," Applejack said.

"What did you see, darling?" Rarity asked.

Twilight starts explaining her experience. "It was really strange. I was in this whole other world filled with a dark aura. When I found Fluttershy, she wasn't herself, almost like a different pony, and she was talking to this woman-shaped ectoplasm named Sagishi with glowing white eyes, and she talked in a raspy voice, almost like a monster."

"Well, what were they talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Something about Fluttershy's transformation, becoming tougher and stronger."

"What? That makes no sense!" Pinkie Pie stated. "Fluttershy is tough and strong in her own way! She doesn't need to change!

"Well, it doesn't seem that way to her. Anyway, Sagishi told her to find the Elements of Harmony so her transformation could be complete. I don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound good."

"Of course it doesn't sound good!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Someone like that sounds like a villain if they want to get to the Elements of Harmony."

"Well, first things first; we need to get to the Elements of Harmony before Fluttershy does," Applejack said. "Speakin' of the Elements, where are they?"

"I gave them to Zecora," Twilight said. "I figured if a situation like this occurred, I should give them to her. No one would suspect to find them with her, or even the Everfree Forest for that matter."

""That was a brilliant idea, Twilight," Rarity said.

"Yeah, no wonder you're a princess; you're so smart!" Pinkie Pie stated with a wide grin.

"Hehe. One does try their best." Twilight blushes from embarrassment. "Now come on! We have to go to the Everfree Forest."

"Right behind ya, Twi!" Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, AJ, and Dash rush to the Everfree Forest to save the Elements of Harmony.

Fluttershy's Mission (Part 1)

While everypony was guarding the Elements of Harmony, Fluttershy was searching for them. Unfortunately, Sagishi already knows where the Elements are; she has the power to sense the Elements using her "sixth sense", which is, what she calls, "The Element Sense," and passed it down to Fluttershy. She gained this from Fluttershy's knowledge; since Fluttershy is close friends with the Mane 6, she automatically knows about their individual Element, which makes this situation even worse knowing that the Mane 6 did all of that hard work for nothing. "But Daisy, Fluttershy asked Zecora for her Kindness Element. How could Sagishi not sense that?" Well, I'm glad you asked. Since Futtershy's personality is becoming corrupted, her Element is as well. Remember, THIS IS A FANFIC! THE MAGIC IN THIS STORY WORKS DIFFERENTLY! OKAY?! Good. I'm glad we're on the same page now. Now, let's get back to the story.

Fluttershy, now with dark red eyes and tattered mane, flies to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Clubhouse with her duffel-bag to retrieve the Element of Generosity. She kicks the door open with all of her strength, which is twice the strength she originally had. Pretending not to know, Rarity and the Cutie Mark Crusaders keep their composure and act like nothing is wrong.

"Why, hello, darling!" Rarity said with gladness. "It's been a while since I've seen you. Where have you been, dear?"

Fluttershy walks up to Rarity and punches her with her hoof. The CMC gasp in horror. "Don't play dumb with me. I know you have the Element of Generosity, and I want it now!" Her voice is completely different from her regular voice; this voice sounded like a mix between Nightmare Moon and Darth Vader, but the softness in her voice is still there.

"Oh... Whatever could you be talking about?" Rarity tries to laugh, but the pain on her face from Fluttershy's punch made it hard for her to do.

Fluttershy punches her again. "Give me your Element NOW!" Her voice became more bold and frightening.

Sweetie Belle couldn't stand seeing her sister get hurt, so she stood between her and Fluttershy before she could throw another punch. "Leave my sister alone!" she screamed.

"Oh. And what are you gonna do about it, Pipsqueak?" Fluttershy shoves Sweetie Belle into the ground with brute force. She starts to cough and wheeze as she was being strangled by Fluttershy's hooves. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo rush to Sweetie Belle's aid. "Get off of her!" Scootaloo yelled as she tried to push Fluttershy off of Sweetie Belle.

"Aww. You poor little filly. You don't have any strength to knock down a full, grown mare like me. Here, I'll show you how to knock me down." Fluttershy kicks Scootaloo with her hind legs which caused her to smash through the wall and into an apple tree.

"Fluttershy, stop!" Apple Bloom pleaded. "We're your friends! We love you!"

"Well, if you really love me that much, then give me the Element of Generosity, and I won't bother you anymore." Fluttershy's grin made Apple Bloom very uneasy. She didn't know what to do. If she didn't give her the Element, she would hurt her, or worse, but if she did give it to her, that would be one step closer to her transformation.

"Don't do it, Apple Bloom!" Rarity yelled. "Don't give in!"

"Shut up!" Flutterhsy punched her once more. "If you don't give me the Element of Generosity, I will kill you." She said those words with what it seemed to be a satisfying lust, like she really wanted to kill Rarity.

"No! Please, don't!" Sweetie Belle screamed to the top of her lungs, pleading for her sister's life. "I'll give it to you! You can have it! Just don't kill my sister! Please!" Tears started streaming from her eyes like waterfalls. She really didn't want to give Fluttershy the Element, but she wanted to save Rarity's life.

"Sweetie Belle, no! Don't-" Just as Rarity was about to speak, Sweetie Belle interrupted.

"I don't want Fluttershy hurting you anymore. If you die, then it'll be my fault for not saving you."

"Sweetie Belle." Rarity started to cry, but she tried to hold back her tears.

"It's over there in that tree." Sweetie Belle points to one of the apple trees outside. Fluttershy flies to the tree, ruffles through the leaves, and retrieves the Element of Generosity.

"Thank you so much for your cooperation, Squeaky Belle," Fluttershy said as she put the Element in her duffel-bag. "I owe you one." She winks at Sweetie Belle and takes off in a flash. Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom walk outside, feeling dissapointed, knowing that they couldn't protect the Element of Generosity.

"I'm sorry, Rarity. I just... I couldn't stand to see you hurt. I... I..." Just as Sweetie Belle was about to cry, Rarity hugs her.

"I know, Sweetie Belle. I know."

"Uh, guys. I know you two are havin' a sister bond right now, but we have to check on Scootaloo."

"Right. We have to make sure she's okay," Sweetie Belle said. They all rush to Scootaloo who was badly injured.

"She's going to be fine, no broken bones, but she has a lot of bruises," Rarity stated. "Quickly! We must take her to the hospital."

Fluttershy's Mission (Part 2)

"Oohh! I hope she doesn't find my Element here. I'm so worried," Pinkie Pie whined.

"Don't worry.  I'm right here with you. She won't hurt you as long as I'm here." Maud Pie hugs Pinkie with all her might.

"Thanks, Maud." Pinkie climbs on top of the rock fortress and pulls out her binoculars to look out for Fluttershy. "No sign of her yet!"

"That's good."

"Yes, that is good," said a mysterious voice.

"Who said that?" Maud turned around to see Fluttershy standing behind her. "You!"

"Who, me?" Fluttershy said in a mocking tone.

"[Gasp]! Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie slipped on the rock fortess and fell on the ground, which knocked the fortress down and revealed the Element of Laughter.

"Heh. That was ease," Fluttershy said. I didn't even have to torture you to get to this Element. Now if you'll excuse me-" Just as she was about to walk towards the Element of Laughter, Maud stops her right in her tracks.

"You're not getting my sister's Element."

"And what are you gonna do about it?" Fluttershy shoves Maud out of her way and walks towards Pinkie Pie who was guarding her Element.

"Fluttershy, please. You don't have to do this," Pinkie pleaded.

"Oh, but I want to. It's fun." Fluttershy leans in on Pinkie's face. "Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way, and I'm not afraid to do it the hard way."

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Maud yelled from behind Fluttershy.

"Why don't you make me?" Fluttershy said as she turned her head. Just at an instant, Maud power kicked her in the face. Fluttershy rolled around about half a foot away from Pinkie and Maud after the impact of her kick. Fluttershy tries to stand on her four hooves, but the impact was so powerful that all of her energy had been drained out of her... or so she thought.

Fluttershy's anger towards Maud gave her a newfound strength within her, but her anger wasn't the only thing giving her strength, it was Sagishi. Through Sagishi's strength, Fluttershy became one with her, an unstoppable duo. Sagishi's aura surrounded Fluttershy, turning her once bright yellow pelt into a midnight blue color. Her mane turned from bright pink to pitch black, and her eyes became redder than ever.

Maud stood in awe while Pinkie was stuttering in shock. "F-F-F-Fluttershy?"

As soon as Pinkie said her name, Fluttershy dashed towards her at the speed of light, headbutting her so hard that the impact could have crushed her skull, but Fluttershy wanted Pinkie to stay alive a little while longer, just to have some "fun" with her. Pinkie landed flat on her back as blood started running from her forehead leaving a medium-sized gash. Fluttershy walked towards her, ready to give her another attack, but Maud intervened by punching Fluttershy in the face. She fell on the ground, seeming to be unconscious from Maud's punch, but it was clearly a fake-out strategy because just as Maud was about to check on Fluttershy, she kicked her in the face, and afterwards, she punched her repeatedly in the stomach, making her cough up blood with each punch she through. Maud was in so much pain. She had bruises all over her body, blood was dripping from her nose and mouth, and her eye became swollen.

Fluttershy stood over Maud and taunted her. "Oh dear. I thought you were a strong pony, willing to protect Pinkie Pie in times of danger without scratching a hoof, but I guess Earth ponies aren't as strong as they seem to be."

Maud tries to talk to her, even though her mouth is filled with blood. "It-it-it doesn't matter... how strong... an Earth pony is. Everypony... has their... different strengths... and weaknesses, but... that's what makes ponies... special."

"Special? Special?!" Fluttershy grabs Maud by her shirt. "How can anypony like me be special? How can being scared of every little thing be special?! HOW CAN SHOWING MY KINDNESS TO OTHERS AND NOT RECEIVING IT BACK BE SPECIAL?! HOW AM I SPECIAL WHEN I'M EVERYTHING I DON'T WANT TO BE?!" Fluttershy throws Maud at Pinkie Pie covering her in her sister's blood. "Fluttershy?"

"DON'T EVER CALL ME SPECIAL WHEN I'M NOT!" Fluttershy starts running towards Pinkie and Maud, apparently about to either headbutt Pinkie or give her a powerful punch, but before she could do anything, Pinkie stopped her. "WAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!" Fluttershy stops at her plea. "Please, Fluttershy, don't do this! Don't hurt Maud anymore!"

"Oh, please. I wasn't even trying to fight Maud, but she got in my way."

"She was just trying to protect the Element of Laughter. That's all." Pinkie started to cry, but Fluttershy felt no remorse.

"Well, if you give me your Element, I won't hurt her anymore. Deal?"

"Don't... do it... Pinkie," Maud warned her.

"I'm sorry, Maud, but I don't want to see you get hurt. I'm doing this for you."

Pinkie trots to the crumbled rock fortress and gives the Element of Laughter to Fluttershy.

"Thank you so much for your cooperation," Fluttershy said as she put Pinkie's Element in her duffel-bag. "As I promised, I won't hurt Maud anymore, but I didn't say I wouldn't hurt you." She punches Pinkie in the face two times harder than her headbutt. Pinkie gets knocked out unconscious only remembering the pain that was not only brought to her physical body, but her heart as well.

Guard The Elements of Harmony

Twilight and her friends arrive at Zecora's hut to retrieve the Elements of Harmony. She knocks on the door, and Zecora answers it.

"Ah, Twilight! I am glad you and your friends are hear. I sense that Fluttershy is coming near."

"Wait, how did you know we were here for that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I saw Fluttershy coming my way. She came to me and asked if I had the Elements of Harmony, but I said nay. I was unsure of what purpose she needed them for, but it didn't seem right because her demeanor was the same as before."

"Before? What does she mean by before?" Applejack asked.

"Yesterday, Fluttershy asked Zecora for some wild berries, but she wasn't sure what she needed them for."

"Maybe it's for that transformation Sagishi was talking about," Pinkie Pie suggested.

"That could be it, Pinkie," Twilight said. "So we have to make sure that Fluttershy doesn't get the Elements no matter what."

"What do we do with 'em, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"We'll each take an Element. Zecora will have to keep Fluttershy's Element while we keep ours." Twilight gives each pony their corresponding Element while Zecora keeps Fluttershy's. "Now we all have to split up to a place where Fluttershy would never think to look twice for the Elements. Go! Quickly!"

Everypony, except for Zecora, runs out of her hut and splits up to their hiding spot. Zecora hides Fluttershy's element in one of her pots. Twilight flies to Canterlot to warn Princess Celestia and Princess Luna about Fluttershy and the Elements of Harmony. Pinkie Pie goes to her old home at the rock farm and hides her Element in a pile of rocks made into a small fortress with the help of her sister, Maud Pie. Applejack goes to Appleloosa to ask her cousin Braeburn for some help in hiding her Element. Rainbow Dash flies to Cloudsdale and warns all the Pegasus ponies about Fluttershy. Rarity goes to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Clubhouse and asks Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo to help hide her Element. Everypony involved in this predicament is worried about Fluttershy and what would happen if she were to gain the Elements of Harmony.